The executive committee of the symphony's board of directors voted unanimously to terminate Feingold's employment and he was let go Friday, said Lisa Nauful, the symphony's assistant executive director and communications director. She would not comment on when that decision was made, or the reasons behind it.

Feingold's departure comes less than three months after the ouster of former Music Director Michael Nowak, who had held that post for 31 years and was widely considered the public face of the symphony.

In a decision that was announced publicly May 14, the symphony board voted unanimously to terminate Nowak's contract. No official reason has been given for that decision.

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"Ed Feingold's departure was not related to the termination of Michael Nowak's contract," Nauful wrote in an official statement emailed at 8:43 p.m. Friday. "Nowak will not return to the orchestra as a result of Ed Feingold's leaving."

Feingold had served as San Luis Obispo Symphony executive director since July 2014, succeeding Jim Black in the role. Feingold previously spent three years as executive director of the Monterey Symphony.

The shake-up in leadership comes as the nonprofit symphony struggles financially with net income falling steadily in recent years. The symphony posted a net income of $44,982 for fiscal year 2012, which dropped to $9,055 in fiscal 2013 followed by a $13,400 loss in fiscal 2014. A loss also is anticipated as the symphony balances its books for fiscal 2015, which ended June 30.

In the wake of his departure, the execution of the symphony's upcoming season will be handled by current symphony staff, aided by several local professionals, Nauful said. "We will seek additional qualified professionals at a later date," she added.

The 2015-2016 season kicks off Oct. 3 with the start of the Classics in the Cohan concert series at the Performing Arts Center in San Luis Obispo.

Nauful said the symphony will hire a local consultant to "help, consult and guide us in our restructuring" before a new, permanent executive director is hired.

"This change will be an opportunity to fine-tune the administrative structure of the symphony that that it runs efficiently and continues to offer vibrant arts programming to our community in accordance to our mission," she said.

Nauful said the symphony does not have a definite date by which it hopes to have Feingold's replacement in place.